How to Plan a Raised Bed Berry Garden

Survey your garden area to determine the best location for building the raised bed. Make sure the area you choose receives full sunlight for a minimum of eight hours a day, has easy access to water and receives adequate air circulation.

Measure the dimensions of your garden site and determine the number of 4-by-8-foot raised beds you want to build for growing berries. Build a separate bed for each type of berry you plan to grow and include a 2-foot-wide corridor between each bed so you can easily access them for watering and tending to the berries.

Calculate the number of timbers you'll need to purchase for building the beds. One 4-by-8-foot bed requires eight to 10 timbers, depending on the depth of each timber and the total height of the bed. A typical raised-bed garden is at least 8 inches high.

Calculate the quantity of supplies you'll need for assembling each raised garden bed. Each bed requires enough landscaping fabric to cover the 4-by-8-foot soil surface; 4- to 6-inch-long nails, which you'll pound at an angle into the timbers to hold them together; and six metal stakes to use as ground supports -- two each for the long sides and one support for each of the short sides of the bed.

Purchase enough pea gravel to cover the bottom of each raised bed with a 2-inch layer of rock to improve drainage for the site. Spread the pea gravel on the bottom of the raised beds before adding soil.

Contact a local landscaping company to purchase a soil mixture of three parts good-quality topsoil and one-part organic compost to fill each raised bed. Landscaping companies offer large quantities of soil, often for a lower cost than bags available at garden supply stores.

Test the soil pH after adding it to the raised bed to verify it is the correct pH for the type of berry you are planting. Blueberries prefer an acidic soil with a pH of 4.8 to 5.2, while cane berries prefer a pH of 5.5 to 6.0. Strawberries grow best in slightly acidic soil of 6.0 to 6.8. Add ground rock sulfur to lower the pH or limestone to raise the pH, following the package instructions based on the existing pH.

Calculate the number of berry plants that will fit into each raised garden. Set cane-type fruit plants 18 inches apart with a 2-foot space between the rows. Blueberries require a 4-foot space between each bush. Strawberries grow best with 12 to 18 inches between the plants.

Purchase the berry plants after building the beds and plant them in the soil immediately for best results. Dig planting holes that are the same depth and slightly wider than the root ball. Strawberries require that the crown sits at ground level for growth.